The Richest Man Americans
Have Never Heard Of

By

Matthew Kaminski

Updated Feb. 4, 2006 12:01 a.m. ET

PARIS -- Lakshmi Mittal built up the world's biggest steel company -- and the third-largest personal fortune of any man -- by acquiring mills in the dodgiest of places. He honed his deal-making skills on the frontiers of capitalism: in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Algeria, the Balkans, often in countries one might need to look up in the very latest atlas. In the past week, however, the 55-year-old Indian mogul has found himself in arguably the most difficult business environment of all -- Western Europe.